Fewer Broward County homeowners will live in areas that require flood insurance, according to maps based on new proposed risk data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

But some homeowners in a few large areas of the county – including parts of Fort Lauderdale, Parkland, Coconut Creek, Deerfield Beach, Pembroke Pines and Hollywood – that that don’t need flood insurance now would have to get it. That could cost them thousands more for insurance each year.

Mortgage lenders require homeowners who live in high risk FEMA-designated flood areas to carry flood insurance.The Sun Sentinel generated new flood maps using updated information from FEMA. Leonard Vialpando, a manager in Broward County’s Development and Environmental Regulation division, echoed what the maps show: “A substantial number of people who used to be in flood zones requiring insurance are not in the new maps.”

The maps aren't final yet. Broward County will allow property owners and others to examine the maps at meetings in November and the county is preparing an online searchable map with the new flood information. A 90-day appeal process will start in December. The maps are expected to be final next year.

The new maps represent the first comprehensive review of flood zones in Broward in 14 years, and they were created using updated comparisons of land and water elevations and better technology for identifying flood hazards, according to the county.

FEMA officials say they’ve worked closely with the county over several years to update the maps. “The maps incorporate verifiable data into FEMA’s engineering models so that they better reflect the risk for flooding,” said Brad Loar, the mitigation division director for FEMA’s Southeast region.

Preliminary updated flood risk maps for Palm Beach County are expected in September 2012, according to FEMA.

FEMA updated Miami-Dade County maps in 2009, putting some new residential areas in flood zones and moving others out.

While most of Broward was previously divided into zones that made up large swaths of land, the new maps appear more precise in how flood risk is estimated. If the maps are approved, flood insurance would be required in:

This year, flood insurance for a home with $350,000 in structural and contents coverage would range from $2,734 in the most flood-prone inland areas to $5,903 in areas subject to coastal risks.

Flood insurance is offered by the federal government, and in recent years, annual premium increases have been capped at 10 percent. There is now a proposal in Congress to raise the cap to 15 percent.

Property owners should consider buying flood insurance even if it’s not required, according to FEMA. “People outside of high-risk areas file more than 20 percent of NFIP claims,” said Mary Olsen, a spokeswoman for the agency.

Updated information from Broward County with details on how to comment or appeal will be posted in the coming weeks at sunsentinel.com/browardfloodzones. During the appeal process, local governments and property owners or renters can send information to FEMA on whether the proposed new flood elevations are scientifically or technically correct.

If you provide your insurance company with a copy of your elevation they will FOR FREE allow you to drop your flood insurance and also refund your previous year premium. There are companies out there that are trying to charge you for this service when this service is free. You have to check with your mortgage company also to see if they will go along with it and your insurance company will do that for you.

Anyone who doesnt purchase flood insurance (max cost $365/yr) on what very well may be thier largest asset, might as well hock the house and gamble the money if they see a katrina coming (a wet storm that is slowly moving) to broward county. It has no correlation to the distance to the coast. be smart people! Protect your assets.

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PAUL OWERS is a West Palm Beach native who graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1989. He covers the housing market for the Sun Sentinel after spending seven years on the real estate beat for that daily paper just up the road. He has impeccable timing, arriving at the Sun Sentinel on the very day that Hurricane Wilma pummeled South Florida. The real wrath came in early 2006, from readers, when he wrote that the five-year housing boom was over. They argued, cursed and complained before grudgingly admitting he was right.Follow @paulowers